Power-transmitting device.



No. 893.684. PATENTED JULY 21, 1908.

A. W. WHITCOMB.

POWER TRANSMITTING DEVICE.-

APPLICATION FILED MAR.30,1906.

4 $HEETS-SHEET 1.

PATENTED JULY 21, 1908. A w. WHITGOMB.

POWER TRANSMITTING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 30, 1906.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2..

7 a dc m 600 E 277 Zzi/a Maw/z A PATENTED JULY 21, 1908..

A. W. WHITGOMB. POWER TRANSMITTING-DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 30, 1906.

4 SHEETS-$HEET 4.

| lump 1 .H|.|l J m 3 UNITED OFFICE.

ALONZO W. WHITOOMB, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO WHITOOMB-BLAIS- DELL MACHINE TOOL COMPANY, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

POWER-TRANSMITTING DEVICE.

Patented July 21, 1908.

Application filed March 30,1906. Serial No. 308,844.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALoNzo l/V. VVHIT- COMB, a citizen of the United States, residing at Worcester, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented a newand useful Power-Transmitting Device, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to clutches. Heretofore they have been made in two types, friction clutches .and positive clutches. Each one has its advantages and disadvantages. One important feature of this inven tion is the provision of a form of clutch which shall avoid the main disadvantages of both of these types and yet include some of their most important features.

The invention may be considered as a friction clutch in which one of the parts is operated in a substantially positive manner, so that, although the clutching action takes place progressively during the rotation of one of the rotary members, yet if the load is increased no matter how suddenly, the

clutching action will be increased in corresponding proportion and without any sudden meeting of positive clutching surfaces. Thus there is no possibility of the clutch being rendered inoperative by the excess of load as long as the parts remain intact, as any slipping of the friction clutch immediately results in more firmly forcing the friction surfaces together.

In use the operator at any time simply throws a lever or equivalent device, to set an element in position to cause the clutching action to take place progressively during the next rotation of one of the elements to be connected. In this way a friction clutch is secured in which the operation is as nearly as possible a positive one, and yet in which the clutching action takes place in such a manner that there is no suddcn contact of tccih or other positive clutching surfaces and in which the control of the rapidityof operation of the clutching surfaces is entirely out of the hands of the operator.

\v'hile this invention is capable of general use. it is cspcciallx applicablc lo plancrs, and is shown as applied thereto.

Reference is to be had lo the accompanying drawings which constitute part of this sp ciiicalion, in which higurc l is a side elevation of an o'vcrhoad plication of my invention, parts being shown in section. Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view of a sector lock which I employ. Fig. 3 is a plan of the friction drive, parts being shown in section indicating interior construction. Fig. 4 is a side elevation partly in section of a portion of the clutch. Fig. 5 is an end elevation partly in section of'the same with the parts in locked position. Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing'the parts in unlocked position, and Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. l, showing another form in which a part of the invention may be constructed.

I have illustrated the device in the form of an overhead drive for convenience, but it will be understood that it is applicable to power transmitting devices in general.

I have shown a loose pulley 10 and a tight pulley 11 at the end of a casing 12, and mounted on a shaft 13. This shaft is provided with any desired number of gears 14, 1 5, 16 and 17 designed to mesh with corresponding gears 18, 19, 20 and 21 respectively, mounted on an axis parallel to that of the shaft 13. The shaft 13 is "hollow, being in the form of a sleeve through which passes a shaft 22 mounted in a bearing on the casing. On this shaft is mounted a pulley 23 for giving variable speeds, while on the hollow shaft or sleeve 13 is keyed a pulley 24 for a constant speed.

It will be understood, of course, that in the form indicatecf in the. drawings the casing 12 and the bearing 25 for the shaft 13 are mounted on a frame-work or support 26.

The device transmits power from the sleeve 13 through one of the gears thereon to one of the other gears, thence to the shaft 22. For this purpose the shaft 22 is provided with a gear 27 meshing with a gear 28 connected with a rotatable element in the general nature of a shaft. This rotatable element, in the form shown, is made up of a plurality of sections 29, each having teeth 29* for engaging each other, and interlocking the several sections together, so that motion transmitted to one will be transmitted to the others, and through the gear 28 to the shaft 22.

In order that all of the gears 18, 19, 20 and 21., with a single exception, may be idle at all times I. have provided the following mechanism: On the several rotatable clonicnts 29, I have journaled a series of ring carried by each of the rotary elements 29 and 30.

In order to provide for connecting the friction rings 31 with the friction casings 32, and especially to cause the friction rings While in motion to pick up the casings with a yielding or sli ping action to avoid a Violent shock, an yet to bring the bearing surfaces between the rings and casings into close and firm contact and positively lock the lever 33 in position so that the bearing surfaces and rings will be locked frictionally together independently of any frictional engagement of bearing surfaces, and to secure this locking action in the shortest racticable time, I have provided the fol owing mechanism: Within each of the friction cases and pivoted on the ring 31 is a lever 33 adapted to engage a steel pin or other bearing surface 34 on the friction ring to operate the latter. A s ring 35 is preferably provided for norma ly holding the lever out of operative position. Carried by each of the sections 29 is a lever operating device shown in the form of a pawl 36 which is normally held in inoperative position by a spring 37. This pawl is adapte to engage the inwardly curved arm of the lever and force it into such position as toexpand the friction ring. It is to be observed also that even in the absence of the frictional action, the curved side of the pawl cannot pass the curved end of the lever, and as these two elements are carried by the parts 29 and 30, they will be securely locked or clutched together a reciprocating rod 89.

while the pawl 36 is held in position for engaging the lever 33, which may be done by a positive means, as Wlll now be described.

For the purpose of operating the several pawls, I have provided the following mechanism: The sections 29 are made hollow in the form of sleeves and through them passes a sleeve 38 which is hollow and which carries This rod is provided with one or more flat topped dogs 40 adapted to engage flat bottomed projections 41 on the pawls and force the pawls into operative position as is indicated in Fig. 5. By the use of these flat surfaces a positive holding action is secured, as no amount of force applied normally to these surfaces will move themor have any tendency to do so.

It will be understood, of course, that the assess number of gears 14, 15, 16 and 1.7 which are used will depend upon the number of different speeds desired. In the form illustrated, four speeds are secured in addition to the constant return, and for convenience the casings 32 are made double, each one being provided with two pawls and connected w1th a gear on each side. Two of these sets being shown, it is desirable to provide the rod 39 with two dogs 40 so spaced apart that only one of the pawls can be operated at the same time.

For the purpose of manipulating the rod 39, I have provided it with a rack 42. With this rack engages a pivoted sector 43 which is operated by a lever or bell-crank 44 connected with the sector by a link 45 and having an operating handle or rod 46. In'order to prevent any accidental displacement of the sector from any position in which it may be placed, I have provided it with a seriesof notches 47 equal in number to the number i of gears on the shaft 13.

In a plate 48 to which the sector is pivoted and by which it is supported, I have located a spring-pressed plunger 49 for engaging in the notches 47.

The friction casing is preferabl made wide enough to extend out over the ietion ring; and attached to the face of the casing is a thin plate 50 extending down over the face of the ring carrier. A packing 51 is provided at the edge of the friction ring. This construction provides an oil-tight compartment, so that a certain amount of oil can be placed in it to lubricate the parts without unnecessary loss. In Fig. 7 I have shown the apparatus as constructed without the oil-tight casing.

By the construction of a transmission mechanism in accordance with the rinciples herein set forth, whether in forms iliustrated or otherwise, a most convenient and positively operating manner of accomplishing the desired results is secured by the employ- 'ment of simple and efficient mechanism which can be readily kept in order and lubricated.

I am aware that the invention herein doscribcd may be greatly modified by a skilled mechanic without departing from the scope of my invention as expressed in the claims.

llaving thus fully described my invention. What I claim is 1. The combination with two indcpend- I by the other element and rotatable therewith independently of the element which carries the lever.

2. The combination of two independently rotatable elements, with means carried by one of them for frictionally securing them together, and means carried by the other element for first "progressively operatingsaid' first named means and 'for'; thereafter holdin it during the continued rotary motion 0 the element, on which it carried,

with respect tothe other element, wherebythe parts may be connected gradually'during a revolution to avoid violent shock.

3-. :In a power transmitting device, the

combination of a rotary friction clutch member, a rotary friction ring, means for forcing .said ring against said member, an element within the ring rotatable independently thereof, 'andmeans carried by said independently rotatable element for simultaneously' operating said forcing means and locking it with respect to the friction clutch member.

4. In a power transmitting device, the

combination of a friction clutch casing, a

V friction ring therein, a lever rotatable with the motion of the pawl with respect to the lever.

6.. In a power transmitting device, the combination of two friction clutch members, a movable pawl, and a lever for operating one friction clutch member, said lever havin a curved arm located in the path of the paw and adapted to limit the motion of the pawl with respect to the lever in one direction.

7. In a power transmitting device, the combination of two independently rotatable elements with a friction clutch comprising two members for connecting them, means carried by one of'said rotatable elements for o crating said clutch, and means carried by t e other of-said rotatable elements for pos1 tively holding the operating means in locked position.

8. In a power transmitting device, the combination of two independently rotatable elements with a clutch. comprising two memp10. 11' a power transmitting flcombination of two inde endently rotatable elements, a lever carrie by one of said elements, and a pawl carried by theother, said pawl having means for operating the lever connectin bers, one carried by each of said elements,

a pawl for operating said clutch carried by one of said e ements, and a movable dog for operatingsaid pawl, said dog having means for holding the pawl in locked position.

9. In a power transmitting device,. the Y combination of two inde endently-rotatable elements with a-friction c utch for connecting said elements, a voted pawl for operating said friction clutc said pawl having a projection provided .with a flat surface, and a movable dog having a flat surface for engagin' the flat surface on said projection and ho din the pawlinlocked position.

device, the

and said lever having means for ictionally one of said elements with the other, an for positively limiting the motion of the other element with res ect to the one on which the lever is mounte 11. In a power transmittin device, the

combination of .two rotatable e ements with a lever carried-by one of said elements, and a pawl by the other, said pawl being adapted to operate the lever, and said lever having means for frictionally connecting one of saic elements with the other, and means for limiting-the motion of the pawl with respect to the lever.

12. In .a power transmittim device, the combination of two rotatable elements, with a lever carried by one of said elements, and a lever'operating device by the other, said lever havingmeans for frictional'ly connecting one of sai elements with the other and means for limitingl the motion of the lever operating device wit respect to the lever.

' 13. In a power transmitting device, the combination of two independently rotatable elements, a lever carried by one of said elements, and a lever operating device carried by the other, said lever having means for frictionally connecting one of said elements with the other, and having a curved surface for engaging the lever operatin device, and

a curved end for receiving said lever operating device in its clutched position, and for limitingthe motion of the other element with respect to the one which carries the lever.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, in' the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' ALONZO W. WHITCOMB.

Witnesses:

ALBERT EJFAY,

LOUIS W. SOUTHGATE, 

